1 N ow when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying,

Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem in the country of Judea. It was the time when Herod was king of that part of the country. Soon after Jesus was born, some wise men who learned things from stars came to Jerusalem from the East.

2 “ Where is he who is born King of the Jews? For we saw his star in the east, and have come to worship him.”

They asked, “Where is the King of the Jews Who has been born? We have seen His star in the East. We have come to worship Him.”

3 W hen King Herod heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

King Herod heard this. He and all the people of Jerusalem were worried.

4 G athering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he asked them where the Christ would be born.

He called together all the religious leaders of the Jews and the teachers of the Law. Herod asked them where Christ was to be born.

5 T hey said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for this is written through the prophet,

They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea. The early preacher wrote,

6 ‘ You Bethlehem, land of Judah, are in no way least among the princes of Judah: for out of you shall come a governor, who shall shepherd my people, Israel.’”

‘You, Bethlehem of Judah, are not the least of the leaders of Judah. Out of you will come a King Who will lead My people the Jews.’”

7 T hen Herod secretly called the wise men, and learned from them exactly what time the star appeared.

Then Herod had a secret meeting with the men who learned things from stars. He asked them about what time the star had been seen.

8 H e sent them to Bethlehem, and said, “Go and search diligently for the young child. When you have found him, bring me word, so that I also may come and worship him.”

He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and find the young Child. When you find Him, let me know. Then I can go and worship Him also.”

9 T hey, having heard the king, went their way; and behold, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, until it came and stood over where the young child was.

After the king had spoken, they went on their way. The star they had seen in the East went before them. It came and stopped over the place where the young Child was.

10 W hen they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.

When they saw the star, they were filled with much joy.

11 T hey came into the house and saw the young child with Mary, his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Opening their treasures, they offered to him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

They went into the house and found the young Child with Mary, His mother. Then they got down before Him and worshiped Him. They opened their bags of riches and gave Him gifts of gold and perfume and spices.

12 B eing warned in a dream that they shouldn’t return to Herod, they went back to their own country another way.

Then God spoke to them in a dream. He told them not to go back to Herod. So they went to their own country by another road. Joseph Goes to Egypt

13 N ow when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.”

When they had gone, an angel of the Lord came to Joseph in a dream. He said, “Get up. Take the young Child and His mother to the country of Egypt. Go as fast as you can! Stay there until you hear from Me. Herod is going to look for the young Child to kill Him.”

14 H e arose and took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt,

During the night he got up and left with the young Child and His mother for Egypt.

15 a nd was there until the death of Herod; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called my son.”

He stayed there until Herod died. This happened as the Lord had said through an early preacher, “I called My Son out of Egypt.” Herod Had All the Young Boys Killed

16 T hen Herod, when he saw that he was mocked by the wise men, was exceedingly angry, and sent out, and killed all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all the surrounding countryside, from two years old and under, according to the exact time which he had learned from the wise men.

Herod learned that the wise men had fooled him. He was very angry. He sent men to kill all the young boys two years old and under in Bethlehem and in all the country near by. He decided to do this from what he had heard from the wise men as to the time when the star was seen.

17 T hen that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled, saying,

Then it happened as the early preacher Jeremiah said it would happen.

18 “ A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children; she wouldn’t be comforted, because they are no more.”

He said, “The sound of crying and much sorrow was heard in Ramah. Rachel was crying for her children. She would not be comforted because they were dead.” Joseph Goes from Egypt to Nazareth

19 B ut when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying,

After Herod died, an angel of the Lord came to Joseph in a dream while he was in Egypt.

20 “ Arise and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel, for those who sought the young child’s life are dead.”

He said, “Get up. Take the young Child and His mother and go into the land of the Jews. Those who tried to kill the young Child are dead.”

21 H e arose and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.

Joseph got up. He took the young Child and His mother and came into the land of the Jews.

22 B ut when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in the place of his father, Herod, he was afraid to go there. Being warned in a dream, he withdrew into the region of Galilee,

Joseph heard that Archelaus was the king of the country of Judea. Herod, the father of Archelaus, had died. Joseph was afraid to go there. God told him in a dream to go to the country of Galilee and he went.

23 a nd came and lived in a city called Nazareth; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophets: “He will be called a Nazarene.”

Joseph stayed in a town called Nazareth. It happened as the early preachers said it would happen. They said, “Jesus will be called a Nazarene.”